Ice-forming and ice-melting cooling system



Sept 11, 1952 J., 1. MoRRlsoN 3,053,060

ICE-FORMING AND I'cE-MELTING- COOLING SYSTEM.

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Sept. 11, 1962 ICE-FORMING AND ICE-MELTING COOLING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1954 Wi rz ma (x (il l 73 73 INVENTOR.

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ICE-FORMING AND ICE-MELTING COOLING SYSTEM Filed Aug. e, 1954 s sheets-sheet 5 United States Patent ilfice 3,53,a0 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 3,053,064) ICE-FORIWING AND ICE-MELTING COOLING SYSTEM Joseph I. Morrison, Lincolnwood, lli.; Grace F. Morrison and John 0. Levinson, executors of said Joseph I. Morrison, deceased Filed Aug. 6, 1954, Ser. No. 443,245 1 Claim. (Cl. 62-435) This invention relates to cooling systems and, more particularly, to a cooling system for use in a commercial dairy and the like where the cooling demand is Variable.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for controlling the rate of formation and melting of ice on a temperature-controlled plate, as the congealable liquid ilows over the surface of the plate, by means of bars interposed in the path of the liquid ilow for agitating the liquid, extending substantially parallel to each other and to the plate.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cooling system which is simple and compact in construction, effective and eillcient in operation, and inexpensive to produce.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.'

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be made to the drawings, wherein FIGURE l is a longitudinal vertical section of a tank divided into compartments containing the ilowing liquid, cooling coils, plates, etc.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 2 2 of FIG. l showing the flow-guiding plates or baffles, the cooling coils and plates and the turbulence-creating bars in the path of the liquid ilow;

FIG. 3 is an end View of FIG. 1, viewed from the left;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation showing the iluid agitating ladder-like lattice construction of FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective View showing the ilow direction of FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 5a is a perspective view of a lattice construction of chain supported liquid-agitating bars;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6 6 of FIG. 7, of a construction showing another embodiment of my invention, providing for generally vertical or upright ilow of the congealable liquid;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

lFIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a lattice construction of liquid-agitating bars;

FIG. 8a shows cross-sectional View of different types of liquid-agitating bars which may be found desirable. Some of these bars may, if desried, be tubular in cross section. The sections shown include circular, rectangular, parallelogram, T-sections and angle sections. They may also include bars twisted toprovide helically extending edge' portions;

FIG. 9 is a plan View showing another form of lattice construction in which the sections of the lattice have a hinged connection with each other to enable folding;

IFIG. 10 is a side elevational View showing the lattice sections folded;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic fragmentary view of the ice builder of FIGS. 6 and 7, with a portion shown in vertical section of the bales and lattice construction, and

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic vertically extending lattice-like ladders suspended in vertical position in the tank.

The construction shown comprises a freezing and icemelting cooling apparatus comprising two juxtaposed refrigerant-receiving and heat-transferring devices, each provided with an extensive heat-transfer surface, said surfaces being substantially parallel to each other, and means plan view showing eight for causing a ilow of congealable liquid in the passage between said surfaces, whereby the liquid may be congealed on said surfaces by the refrigerant and may be melted therefrom by the ilow of the liquid, said surfaces being provided with a series of bars extending across the passage intermediate said surfaces and substantially paralled to each other and to said surfaces to increase the turbulence of liquid passing through said passage.

Referring now more speciilcally to the drawings and first to FIGS. l to 5 inclusive, a reservoir 10 is shown, which is operatively connected by suitable conduits 12 and 14 to an adjacent cooling tank 65. Intermediate the cooling tank and reservoir 10 is provided a suitable pump 10a, for circulating a cooling liquid through the reservoir and cooling tank.

Mounted within the reservoir i0` are a plurality of parallel, vertically-extending, spaced flow-directing and heat-transferring baille members 16 and 18, and a horizontally-extending transversely mounted ilow-directing baille member 20 dividing baille members 16 and 18 into substantially equal sections 16a, lb, 18a and 18b. The baille members 16, 1S and 2li are so arranged Within the reservoir as to cause the direction of ilow of the circulating liquid to be like that shown in FIG. 5.

The relatively warm liquid from the cooling tank enters the reservoir through conduit 12 and iirst passes, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, between the side 21 of the reservoir and bame member 18a and, upon reaching the terminating edge 22a of member 20, which is spaced from the end plate 23 of the reservoir, is directed downwardly and ilows in the opposite direction between side 21 and baille member 18h; on reaching the edge 24 of member 1811, which is spaced from the end plate 25 of the reser- Voir, the liquid turns about edge 24 and ilows in the opposite direction between baille members 1611 and 18h; on reaching the edge 22b of baille member 20, the liquid is directed yupwardly and ilows in the opposite direction between baille members 16a and 18a; upon reaching the terminating edge 26 of baille member 16a, which is likewise spaced from end plate 25', the liquid reverses direction and ilows between side 27 of the reservoir and baille member 16a; at terminating edge 22C of member 20, the liquid once again is directed downwardly and ilows in the opposite direction between side 2'7 and `baille member 16b and out through conduit 14 to the cooling tank, not shown. By following this tortuous passage through the reservoir, the circulating liquid is able to expend a suilcient amount of heat to readily meet the variation in cooling demand.

The two vertically disposed heat transfer plates 16 and 18 and the horizontally disposed ilow guide plate 20 divide the tank into 4six sections, providing for a ilow in series lfrom the entrance opening 12 to the exit passage 14. The flow is shown diagrammatically by the arrow position and direction indicated in FIGS. l, 2 and 5. AS indicated there the ilow is from the inlet pipe 12 along the forward front passage to the rightahand end of this passage, thence downwardly past the edge of the plate Z0 to the lower forward pass-age, thence to the left along this lower forward passage, thence rearwardly from the left-hand end of this passage to the right-hand end of the intermediate passage, thence upwardly past the plate Z0 to the upper righthand end of the intermediate upper ilow passage, thence along this upper intermedaite passage to the right-hand end of the intermediate passage, thence rearwardly to the upper left-hand end of the rear passage, thence to the right-hand end of the rear passage, thence downwardly to the lower right-hand end of the rear passage, thence to the left and along this lower rear pasi sage to the outlet pipe 14.

A refrigerator 23 is provided `for the reservoir having a plurality of refrigerant-receiving and heat-absorbing assemblies 30 and 32. Assembly 30 is mounted on one surface of Ibaille members r16a and 1Gb, and assembly 32 is mounted on a corresponding surface of baille members 18a and ISb. In this instance, each assembly comprises banks of coils integrally connected to one another and each assembly 3i? and 32 serves as a refrigerator for baffle members 16a, 16b and 18a, lb, respectively. The refrigerant supply, the means for circulating the refrigerant through the coils, and the compressor for the refrigerator are of standard construction and well known by those skilled in the art and, therefore, further discussion as to their operation is deemed unnecessary. The refrigerant, which may be ammonia, sulphur dioxide, etc., is introduced, as shown by arrow A, FIG. 3, into the cooling coils 3G and 32 in a liquid yform from the expansion valve, not shown, through conduits 34 and 35, respectively, and is removed from the coils, as shown by arrow B, in a gaseous state at conduits 36 and 37, respectively, to the compressor, not shown.

Mounted on either face of the baille members 16a, 161:, 18a, and 18h, and on the inner surfaces of sides 21 and 27 of the reservoir are -a plurality of iinlike members 40. These members 40 are constructed of relatively thin, rigid material, such as sheet metal, and as shown in FIGS. l and 4, are of rectangular shape. The members 4l) are spaced from one another along the surface of the flow-directing, heat-transferring baffle members 16a, 16h, 18a, and lsb, and extend in substantially a vertical direction. The vertical plane of the members 40 are offset approximately 30 with respect to the adjacent baille member to which they are secured.

The liquid agitating lattice construction shown in FIG. 4 comprises a plurality of vertically extending liquidagitating :bars 41 connected at their upper and lower ends to longitudinally extending beams 42 and 43, the upper one 42 of which is provided with hooklike extensions 44 for fastening over the upper edges of the ends of the tank. It will be noted that these lattice sections are provided only in the upper tier of coil compartments Where one can easily increase or lessen the number of sections to accomplish the necessary agitation to properly control the melting of ice therefrom.

In the installation of ice-forming and ice-melting cooling system of the type having no guiding and agitating louver constructions or of the type in which such louver constructions are somewhat permanently installed, it may sometimes be found necessary or desirable to provide additional cooling effects. This may be accomplished in applicants construction by means of the lattice-like flowagitating bars which may be readily placed in position in installations already made. This additional now-agitating cooling effect may be obtained both in the construction shown in FIGS. 1 5, incl., and that shown in FIGS. 6-12, incl. It Wil tbe noted that both the construction of FIGS. l-S, incl., and that of FIGS. 6-12, incl., disclose improved apparatus for controlling the rate of melting of ice on a temperature-controlled plate, as the congealable liquid ilows ove-r the surface of the plate, by means of bars interposed in the path of the liquid ilow for agit-ating the liquid, extending substantially parallel to each other and to the plate.

The greater the agitation caused iby the interposed bar the greater will be the impact of the relatively Warm lluid on the ice coating, the lfaster will be the melting of the ice coating, and the faster will be the cooling of the fluid in the reservoir.

In the embodiment of the inventtion as shown in FIGS. 6 to l2, inclusive, the flow of the circulating liquid is substantially in a vertical direction rather than in a horizontal direction as shown in FIGS. l to 5, inclusive. In this embodiment also liquid-agitating bars (shown in FIGS. 8 and 8a) similar in elect to the bars 41 of FIG. 4 maybe used. In place of the cooling coils of reservoir there are provided in reservoir 48 a plurality of vertically extending conduits 50, secured at either end to headers 51 and 52. The lower header 52 is supplied with a refrigerant in a liquid state from a container 54, mounted along the upper side of the reservoir above header 51, by means of a vertically extending supply conduit 56. The upper header 51 receives the refrigerant in a gaseous state after it has passed from the lower header 52 up through conduits 50. From the upper header 51, the gaseous refrigerant is passed through conduits 56a, a compressor, condenser and expansion valve (none of which are shown) and transformed back into a liquid state and returned to container 54a, and through conduits 54h to container 54, where the cycle will again be repeated. The liquid refrigerant supplied to lower header 52, through conduit 56, is controlled by a conventional lloat valve 57 mounted within container 54.

Mounted within the moded form of reservoir 48 are a plurality of spaced, vertically extending flow-guiding, ice-forming baille members S8 and a single vertically extending ice-forming baille member 60 having its vertical plane at a right angle to that of the spaced baille members 58 and adapted to separate said members S8 into substantially equal sections. The arrangement of baille members 58 and baille member 60` causes the circulating liquid to flow in a substantially vertical plane and alternately from one section of baille members to the other. The vertical conduits 50 and 56 and headers 51 and 52 are secured to one side of the ice-forming baille members 58, as seen in FIG. 6.

A plurality of fin-like louver members 62 are mounted on either Vside of baille members 58 and angularly extend therefrom into the space formed intermediate adjacent baille members. The iin-like members extend from the 'baille members so that they are pointing in a direction substantially contra to the llow of the circulating liquid and likewise cause turbulence of said liquid, thereby increasing the heat transfer from the liquid to the refrigerant circulating in the vertical conduits S0.

When the demand on the cooling system is small, that is to say, when the aforementioned cans or receptacles are removed from the cooling tank 65, the amount of heat carried by the circulating liquid is small, resulting in the liquid adjacent the vertical conduits 50 congealing. Upon increase of the demand of the cooling system, the circulating liquid causes the congealed liquid to gradually melt away, thereby effecting greater cooling of the circulating liquid. The liquid circulating in reservoir 48 also congeals about the cooling coils and between the adjacent ilns when the cooling demand is reduced.

The water circulation between the reservoir 48 and the cooling reservoir or tank 65 is from the reservoir through the pipe 66 to the tank and from the tank through the pump 10a and pipe 67 to the reservoir 48. In general, when the cans are in the tank 65, ready to be cooled by the cooling Water from the melting ice in the reservoir, the pump Illa is started to effect circulation of Water through the tank 65 between the baflles 16, 18 and 20. At the beginning of the circulation of cooling water, the ice formation on the bailles may be ilush with the plane of the outer edges of the fins 62. Under these conditions the ilow through the passages between the ballles is comparatively unimpeded and not subjected to great turbulence. This smooth, uninterrupted, nonturbulent llow' would continue as the ice continued to melt were it not for the turbulence-creating How-obstructing tinsv 62. With the turbulence-creating now-obstructing iins functioning, the effective cross-sectional area of the flow channels is not changed by the melting of the ice as the ice-melting Water has to ow through the bottlenecks between the adjacent edges of opposed iins projecting from the baflles.

The construction and use of aplicants easily installed llow-agitatng ladder-like construction will now be described.

In general, under certain conditions and under certain situations, it may not be necessary to use any of the louver Constructions 62, using only as many of the agitating lattice or ladder bars as are necessary to effect the proper temperature control.

The liquid-agitating ladder or lattice construction shown in FIG. 8 comprises a series of parallel agitating bars 73 secured to the upright beams 74, which beams are provided with hooklike formations 75 at their upper ends for hooking over the headers 51 depending from the conduits 56 and 56a connecting the headers with the gascontaining chambers 54a and 54..

rFIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12 show different positions which a certain type of foldable lattice-like control bar construction may assume in process of assembly, for example, for use in a tank like that of FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 shows the sections unfolded so as to occupy substantially a flat planar position when installed in the tank.

FIG. l0 shows the position which this foldable construction may assume when folded into compact zigzag formation-perhaps for use in shipment or perhaps for assembly in position above a reservoir or tank of the type of FIGS. 6 and 7 for enabling the zigzag formation to be straightened out and lowered into the tank.

FIG. 11 shows the position which the lattice-like construction may assume when inserted into the tank in vertical position between the cooling plates or baffles and suspended from supporting bars at the upper end of the tank.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic plan view of the construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 with the eight lattice members suspended in the tank.

FIG. 9 shows the unfolded extended ladder or lattice sections, each section comprising a pair of substantially parallel llinks 76 overlapping at their joints, the overlapping joints being hinged together and to the cross bars 73 by suitable pivotal connections 7'7 so that the lattice work can be folded from the extended position shown in FIG. 9 to the collapsed zigzag position shown in FIG. 10. The upper links are twisted at 7S and pro-vided with openings 79 to receive supporting rods 80 which extend above the ice builder tank 81 and are inserted into openings in the supporting brackets S2 which are mounted on the upper portion of the ytank 81, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Fins 62 similar to those shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be provided on the baflle construction 58 if desired.

After the lattice construction has been folded or stacked as shown in FIG. 10, the assembly is placed on top of the tank and unfolded therefrom from the bottom by lowering the section into the tank between the refrigerating coils. After the assembly has been thus unfolded and lowered into the ice-building tank, the supporting rods are inserted through the openings 79 in the upper sections of the ladder and mounted on suitable supports at the upper portion of the tank.

The cross-section of FIG. 5a is substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 8 except that chain sections 83 are substituted for the upright beams 74 of FIG. 8, at bars 84 are substituted for the round bars 73 and welded to the chains 83, and hooks 85 are welded to the upper bar 84. These flexible chain sections enable ready installation of the lattice work construction when installing in cramped quarters.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A freezing and ice-melting cooling apparatus comprising a refrigerant-receiving and heat-transferring device provided with anextensive heat transfer surface, a flow guide having an extensive liquid illow guide surface parallel to said heat transfer surface, and means for causing a flow of congealable liquid in the passage between said surfaces, whereby the liquid may be congealed on said heat transfer surface by the refrigerant and may be melted therefrom by the ow of the liquid, said surfaces being provided with a series of bars extending across the passage intermediate said surfaces and substantially parallel to each other and to said surfaces to increase the turbulence of water passing through said passage, said bars having connections :therebetween adjacent their ends extending in the direction of liquid ow to form, with said bars, a rectangular lattice, said lattice having readily detachable hook means adjacent one end for supporting the lattice in position in said passage.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 11,891,714 Jordan et al Dec. 20, 1932 2,160,333 Johnston May 30, 1939 2,221,423 Reinhardt Nov. 12, 1940 2,538,015 Kleist Jan. 16, 1951 2,571,923 Morrison Oct. 16, 1951 2,571,924 Morrison Oct. 16, 1951 

